The head of government in the City of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, has stated that his administration will not accept the expansion of gaming in the City, considering the project as ‘supporting a business’ managed by the national government with ‘an enormous lack of transparency.’

At a press conference Macri declared, “We have decided to act according to our convictions. We feel that this new agreement with the National Lottery supports a business that, at the very least, lacks clarity in how the national government arranged it.” He added that it was a hard decision because it went against the necessity of the City to have the resources to repair schools, hospitals and roads, as well as finance the metropolitan police.

Macri said that Buenos Aires City is the only place not to have autonomy in gaming and that the national government had refused to collaborate. The statement confirmed the doubts that the governor had demonstrated over gaming expansion in the Argentine capital, doubling the existing gaming operations on the floating casinos in Puerto Madero and the slots operation at the Palermo Hipodrome.

With his declaration Macri has backed the accusations made by Elisa Carrio, leader of the Civic Coalition, of grave irregularities in the exploitation of casinos in the country. She has accused ex-President Nestor Kirchner of colluding with businessman Cristobal Lopez in Argentinean casino operations. Gabriela Michetti, deputy Governor, said that the decision taken by Macri would not change the national government’s intention to expand gaming.

“This decision is not going to alter the situation because central government is going to continue to allow more slot machines and continue to increase operations at its pleasure.” Michetti was referring to the Kirchner decree signed last year that extended for 15 years the concession of Casino Club owner Lopez and increased the number of slot machines at the racetrack from 3,000 to 4,500. (E-12.22.08)

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